My mother had a couple of choking episodes recently. I wasn’t alarmed because she’s had swallowing issues in the past. At least twice over the years, she had a procedure that stretched her esophagus because of a stricture or narrowing.
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Archives for alzheimers
Learning to live a full life when you have early stage Alzheimer’s disease
After cancer, Alzheimer’s disease is the second most feared disease in America. Right now, about 5.2 million people in this country are living with Alzheimer’s. Each year, the number grows. That’s because baby boomers continue to age and, in general, people are living longer. By 2025 — 10 years from now — it’s estimated that more than 7 million people in the United States will have Alzheimer’s. No wonder we worry.
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Forgetting things? Take this test to see if you need to worry about Alzheimer’s
Worried because you’re not young anymore and you’ve started forgetting more things than you used to? Why you left the room? Where you put your glasses? Whether you turned off the iron? A name? An appointment?
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You Can’t Argue with Someone Who Has Alzheimer’s
By Diane Atwood, who writes the Advantage Home Care Blog. My mother has Alzheimer’s. I try to learn as much as I can about the disease and how to handle the myriad issues that are always coming up. I know, for instance, that you should never argue with someone who has Alzheimer’s or any form of dementia.
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Caregiver Stress: It’s a Brand New Day
If you are caring for an elderly loved one with Alzheimer’s or dementia, it’s likely that you often feel overwhelmed, exhausted, and cranky. And you’re probably really hard on yourself for feeling that way. Welcome to the world of caregiving. You are not alone.
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Breaking the Stigma of Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia One Story at a Time
This past weekend I attended a volunteer recognition reception hosted by the Maine Chapter, Alzheimer’s Association. Bob O’Keefe, from North Waterboro, won the Marilyn Paige Founders Award and Deborah Johnson, from Harrison, won the Robert Stram Award for Advocacy. Volunteers in general are remarkable people, in my opinion, but these two individuals blew me away.
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Caregivers: Take a Moment Just for You
As Sid Halligan slipped deeper and deeper into Alzheimer’s disease, his wife Ginny realized that if she wasn’t careful, she might lose her own identity. He was 73 when they got the diagnosis, and 82 when he died last January. Until the last five months of his life, which he spent in a nursing home, Ginny took care of her husband at home.
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Alzheimer’s: How to Make Mealtimes Easier
My mother, who has Alzheimer’s, loves chocolate. She always has, as far back as I can remember. She would never buy herself just one chocolate bar, opting for the entire box instead. She went through phases. For a long time, it was Hershey Bars, which she liked to eat soft and nearly melted. When she switched to Peanut Butter Cups, she preferred them icy cold from the freezer. These days my mother’s chocolate of choice is Kit Kat Bars, and beware the wrath of Beverly if you deny her that pleasure. We tried. That was before we had come to
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Alzheimer’s: Just One Cause of Dementia
If you are confused about the connection between dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, you are not alone. The simplest explanation is that Alzheimer’s is a disease that causes dementia. In fact, Alzheimer’s is the most common cause of dementia. We’ll get to other causes in a moment. First a definition of dementia, which is actually a collection of symptoms, or a syndrome, according to Darlene Field, an Alzheimer Care Consultant who works with Advantage Home Care.
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